US Prosecutors Accuse Nicolás Maduro and Wife of Torture Conspiracy

Federal prosecutors in the United States have levelled new allegations against Venezuela's former president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, accusing the couple of conspiring to commit torture. The charges, unsealed on Thursday, add a significant new dimension to an already sprawling legal case against the former Venezuelan leader, who has been in American custody since January.

The superseding indictment alleges that Maduro and Flores presided over a systematic apparatus of repression while in power, one that relied on violence against political opponents, arbitrary detentions, and the torture of prisoners — including citizens of the United States. Prosecutors say the couple's alleged actions were designed to entrench themselves in power at any cost.

Maduro, 63, and Flores, 69, are currently being held at a detention centre in Brooklyn, New York, where they were taken following a pre-dawn raid by US forces on their compound in Caracas earlier this year. The operation marked a dramatic turn in the long-running tension between Washington and the Venezuelan leadership.

The new accusations are in addition to existing drug-trafficking and weapons charges already brought against both individuals. They have consistently denied all allegations. Barry J Pollack, Maduro's attorney, said his client rejects the new torture charges and looks forward to presenting his defence in court.

Prosecutors also announced on Thursday that Flores has been added to the earlier narco-terrorism charge. The trial for both Maduro and Flores is scheduled to begin in June 2027. Meanwhile, a judge denied Flores's request to be moved to house arrest, meaning she will remain in detention alongside her husband pending trial.

The indictment describes in graphic detail the methods of torture allegedly employed under Maduro's rule. According to the court document, these included electric shock, asphyxiation, rape, forced nudity, prolonged isolation, starvation, punishment cells, and psychological torture. Prosecutors further allege that psychological abuse involved threats to kill victims' family members, including children.

Speaking outside the courthouse on Thursday, prosecutors said the conduct was intended to ensure that Maduro and Flores retained power, and that it caused significant harm to Americans and US citizens. One prosecutor described the alleged scheme as "the epitome of corruption."

Flores is accused of playing a central role in building and sustaining the repressive system. The indictment claims she ordered that individuals be tortured and even received updates on the torture of specific prisoners. Prosecutors allege her motive was to protect family members who were involved in illegal activities.

The allegations echo accounts long provided by former prisoners released from Venezuelan detention. Javier Tarazona, who heads a human rights group in Venezuela, told BBC Mundo earlier this year that he and his brother were held in a tiny punishment cell for 46 days after being arbitrarily arrested. Another former inmate, Ángel Godoy, described being kept in isolation for months and being prevented from contacting his wife, who was left unaware of his whereabouts.

The timing of the new charges underscores the continued legal jeopardy facing Maduro even after his removal from power. Following his ouster, his former vice-president, Delcy Rodríguez, was sworn in as interim leader with backing from the Trump administration. Under her leadership, hundreds of political prisoners have been released through an amnesty law, but more than 300 remain behind bars, according to the prisoners' rights group Foro Penal.

The human rights situation in Venezuela remains a source of international concern. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, warned in March that his office had received reports alleging that detainees continued to be tortured even after Maduro's seizure. Türk said that "structural and systemic human rights concerns" had persisted in the country despite the change in leadership.

Venezuela's foreign minister at the time rejected Türk's remarks, accusing him of parroting the agenda of "extremists" by citing the torture allegations. The exchange highlighted the sensitivity of the issue and the continuing resistance within parts of the Venezuelan establishment to outside scrutiny.

Legal analysts suggest the new torture charges could complicate the defence strategy for Maduro and Flores, as they introduce a broader set of allegations that may be harder to dismiss as politically motivated. The inclusion of US citizen victims in the indictment could also strengthen the prosecution's argument that American courts have a direct interest in the case.

For the families of prisoners and former detainees, the charges represent a measure of validation after years of campaigning for accountability. Human rights groups have long documented abuses in Venezuelan detention facilities and argue that the international community must do more to ensure justice. The outcome of the trial, set to begin in 2027, will be closely watched both in Venezuela and abroad.

As the case moves forward, the question of whether the former leader and his wife will ultimately face consequences for the alleged torture of detainees remains open. What is clear is that the legal proceedings in New York have become a focal point for broader debates about impunity, human rights, and the legacy of Maduro's rule in Venezuela.